Caring for your puppy in extreme weather

Papillon dog

Looking after your puppy is a full time job. However, when the weather is at its hottest or coldest, there are other factors that come into play to ensure that your puppy is cared for in the best possible way.

Summer has its own set of problems for both humans and puppies alike. The heat can make you and your puppy dehydrated. Ensure there’s plenty of fresh, clean water for puppy to drink at all times. Make sure there’s a bowl inside where it should be cooler than outside. Ensure that puppy has fresh food. If it’s in the bowl for too long, it can go off so dry food is a good idea. Your air conditioner is an essential part of life in summer. You need to keep cool, as does your puppy.

Puppies don’t know how to behave in the heat so you have to do their thinking for them. Keep puppy inside in the hottest parts of the day because the sun can cause sunburn, especially on puppy’s nose which is highly sensitive. Put sunscreen on his ears to protect against sun damage. Ensure there’s plenty of shade outside for puppy when he does go out. But monitor him because most puppies won’t look for shade, even on the hottest days.

Don’t let him do too much exercise on hot days and if puppy needs a walk, go in the early hours of the morning before it warms up. Never leave puppy in a car, even for a minute, as the windows act like an oven and boost the interior temperature to a dangerously high level.

Groom your puppy regularly so he doesn’t get overheated because of excess fur. Long-haired breeds should be shorn at the start of summer. Pomeranian puppies are a breed with long fur and can suffer from heatstroke more often than bigger dogs or those with short hair. So keeping their hair short is essential in summer. It’s wise to take puppy to the vet at the start of summer to get a check up. This can help prevent any problems occurring during the hot months of the year.

Siberian Husky

Winter also has a different set of problems for puppies and extra care must be taken to keep them warm at all times.
Keep your puppy inside as much as possible because you’ll naturally have it warmer with the heating on. If you have your heater on, make sure puppy doesn’t sit too close or touch it or he could get burnt.

Take your puppy to the vet for a winter check up to prevent possible problems. If you do have to leave your puppy outside, ensure he has a warm shelter and lots of bedding to snuggle into. Long-haired breeds, such as a Pomeranian, can handle the cold for longer periods of time but you shouldn’t push it with any puppy. If your puppy isn’t well, he needs extra care and definitely shouldn’t be allowed to get cold because that only makes his health worse.

If your pet goes outside in the cold weather, he can get chemical ice, rock salt and normal ice in his foot pads. If he licks it off, he can get an infection or inflammation in his digestive tract. Always clean his paws when you bring him back inside to avoid these problems. Puppies get most of their heat from their ears, feet and respiratory tract, so if these parts are warm, they’ll feel warm, too.

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Hello. A love of dogs has lead to the construction of this website.
Canine Pals aims to help all dog owners provide the best care for their canine pals and I will share my huge knowledge on all types of canines and answer all your questions in regard to dogs. Information is provided on how to select the right puppy for your situation, caring and training the new puppy through to care and feeding of a senior dog..READ MORE..